I was reading on another forum where Div 1 might prohibit Deep Staging? Anyone hear anything on this? And if so will E Town be enforcing it?

 

I haven't heard anything official. Rumor is that you no longer put deep on the car. Deep staging is allowed but the track will incorporate a 10 second autostart. Maple Grove has been using this method. Starter hits the autostart button before anyone prestages. Any combination of 2 prestage and 1 stage engages the autostart. Person not staged has 10 seconds to do so or gets a red as is DQ'ed. Tree comes down 2 seconds or less (variable) when it "sees" 2 staged lights. I altered my staging 2 years ago because of how MG runs the tree. Seems like this year all the track will follow suite. The Div 1 bracket finals be using the 10 second autostart and the starter will not hold the tree for deep stagers.

The other big thing is than you won't be allowed to use anything beside the sunvisor to block the tree. A lot of deep stagers block. Another thing to help discourage deep staging.

I deep stage, have the autostart mananged, and don't block the tree. I hope I can get a little advantage as the racers are adjusting to the new rules.

 

I deep stage as well...my only concern is courtesy staging...seems like this will throw that out the window...I can tell you that I would get in and deep stage before my opponent even pre stages if this were the rule down here...no rule or starter is gonna quick tree me...

 

Stay away from Div1 in 2008. The only courtesy is that I let the other racer burnout and come up the the line. Can't tell you how many shallow stagers saw deep on my car then went in fully staged as I was comming up to the the beams. And I don't take a long time in the burnout box. The one time (3 years ago) I went in before my shallow opponent prestaged. I was backed out by the starter and forced to restage. "You need to give him time" WTF.... never waited for me. Oh well. I started a new process of deep staging last season and it works well. I stop just before the prestage beam and stop. Get my composure, set the RPM (footbrake) and slide the car from no prestage to fully deep staged (top bulb out) in one motion. I keep the gas steady and just lift the brake pedel enough to hear a groan and slowly slide the car forward. And yes I'm always in the same spot on the starting line. I'm focused on the 3 amber thru the staging process and use perferal vision to see the prestage light. Reguardless of who stages first I'm always ready to race in 2 seconds or less. Side note is that I usually have the slower car and get to go first.

 

Once one bulb is on AUTOSTART will kick in. Deep stagers must hustle to get in. If there is a reason to hold up a car on the line (wipe up,check oil,dial in etc.) bothe cars will be backed up and restage. You don't have to mark DEEP on your cars any longer. You can deep stage,but it is up to you no to lolliegag and get in there and race.No reruns if you didn't get in etc.

 

Yeah Kaz....I have had a few azzholes try to quick stage me when they saw deep on my window...I handled it differently...when they lit both bulbs I stopped and waved the starter over...I made him back the person out and start over...

My opponent was pizzed and the starter was pizzed because I made him do his job...I really don't care...you try to **** with me I'll call you on it...

 

You made who back out someone with two bulbs on.There isn't courtesy staging in the Corvette Challenge. I can see Index racing,but not the CC. Don't look for that to happen in 2008 at RP. Deep stagers you are on your own.

 

..... us deep-stagers have 'been on our-own' since I attended my first Division One E.T. Finals at Maple Grove in 1990, when, every-year, the announcer repeated stated:
"We will NOT hold the tree, nor honor deep-staging, at this event!"

And every year after that announcement, several racers would corner George Case and voice their concerns, at which point Case rescinded the idiotic rule:
Case personally told me "if you make an honest effort to get up to the line quickly, you should have no-problem" , and I began starting my burnouts before my opponents, doing shorter burnouts, rolling directly to the line, etc.

A fellow racer/Tech Inspector, who attended the Division One Track Operators Meeting 15 years ago, asked Xtra-kalleries why deep-staging caused such a problem to Division One, and Greg turned his head and walked-away:
I asked him during the banquet at Lilitz, and got the same treatment.

In the mid-'90s, I was leaning against the fence at MGR during the Keystones, talking to a guy who knew something about the timing-systems NHRA employs (it later turned-out the guy was Bob Brockmeyer ), and he told me had already designed a program that could be easily installed into a Compulink system for deep-stagers, but no NHRA Division wanted to be bothered:
Panuuz, I was reading that thread with interest when that site vanished the other day, and I think it, too, mentioned that Brockmeyer has a simple solution, yet NHRA ignores him.

 

I never courtsey stage, When ever I did - I had my A$$ handed to me. That is why I would put both bulbs on and be ready to go. I also don't know anyone that had to bump in 5 to 7 bumps. That is another reason for me to go in quick.

 

I used to deep stage all the time. On time, as I was tryng to bump into deep stage, the tree came down as I was still bumping in.. It cost me the round......That was the last time I ever deep staged and this was about 4 years ago. I learned how to work without deep staging.

 

I totally agree with you Rob. I tried to be polite a couple of times & also got slapped down hard. Now I just go in quick & am ready to go, ASAP!!

 

Wayne, how will you prevent the race to the starting line or do you even care? Is this same policy going to be in affect for Pro?

 

This would really be important when racing against a car that doesn't do a burnout. I have been in the middle of my burnout and my opponent has been fully staged.

 

And you said "Once one bulb is on AUTOSTART will kick in"? I've seen it after the third but never after "one", can you please clarify?

Thanks, Dave

 

Dave, after reading your comment I just realized that this may end the "big burnout era". Maybe,for some, it means forgeting about a line lock. What say you guys???? This is what I think....

 

If it holds true, as Ralph said it'll be a race to the staging beams!

As soon as you you're waved up from under the tower, just haul azz for the starting line, drive around the water as fast as you can before the other guy can, no more burnouts, slide into the beams and go for it!!!!!

 

..... which leads to a dangerous work-envoirnment for Track Employees patrolling the Starting-Line, looking for water, oil, and/or debris.
(not-flamin' ya..... I'm agreein' wit-cha! )


and what-happens when a deep-stager is held-up (Starter standing in-front of car ) from staging before his opponent?


and since deep-stagers aren't allowed to write 'DEEP' on the car anymore, the offending Starter won't realize what the deep-stager is trying to do!


Yet, we'll be told this is 'simplifying and leveling the playing field' .....

 

Lets just go back to ONE STAGE light. That will solve all the problems

 

I personally think the 10 sec time should be in EFFECT...but it should not start until at least 1 set of bulbs are lit on EACH side "If this is possible"

Here are my reasonings... Car #1 can go right in light both Top & bottom bulbs, if the clock is running car #2 who is a DEEP stager must be on his toes to get in DEEP before the 10 sec rule... in this situation I see no problem...

However if Car #1 lights BOTH sets of bulbs, and car # 2 decides he just wants to bust ***** or happens to be a VERY slow stager, a problem will exist!

If the track can program the tree to activate to 10 sec timer after one set of bulbs are lit on each side of the tree, it will prevent a "Race to Stage" and also prevent any burn downs..

If in a case like Farley who likes to light BOTH bulbs right away... it would be HIS (Farley) responsibility NOT to get on the converter to heat the trans until car #2 has at least lit the Top set of bulbs..

I want to deep stage, if the track says I cant put it on my window, I will go right in and light BOTH set of bulbs... stay OFF the converter (let it idle) until I see car #2 light the TOP set of bulbs, then I'll get on the converter and bump in deep... & if he is sitting there with NO lights lit we can both sit there me with both lit him with none...until HE gets the top bulb lit, then its BOTH our responsibility to stage within the 10 sec rule...OR "Raceway Park" can make it a rule that if I go in DEEP and car #2 STILL has not lit the TOP bulb, the 10 sec timmer will start!

If I'm missing something please point it out...

 

John.......The challenge for the deep stager is the 1 sec or so activation of the tree once 4 bulbs are lit. If the deeper doesn't get there first, he'll have 1 sec to go from shallow to deep. This movitates some to race to the starting line and lighting both bulbs to put the deeper at a disadvantage.